Evacuations

Evacuation Warning

An evacuation warning, or voluntary evacuation, means that it is time to prepare to leave your home and the area. Gather your family, pets, basic needs and important paperwork and listen for instructions from emergency responders. If you have special medical needs or have limited mobility, you should prepare to leave the area when an Evacuation Warning is issued. Those with horses or large animals should also begin to evacuate at this time.

Evacuation Order

An evacuation order, or mandatory evacuation, is a directive from the Departments of Sheriff or Fire to leave your home or business immediately. Failure to follow an Evacuation Order may result in endangerment to the lives of others, personal injury, or death. Once you have left the area, you will not be permitted to return until the Evacuation Order is lifted.

Evacuation Routes

Evacuation routes are marked with evacuation signs. If an evacuation is necessary, the public will be notified via the media, ALERTBoston, and as a last resort, public announcements by emergency personnel.

The purpose of publicizing the evacuation routes is only to enable the public to familiarize themselves with the options if an evacuation is warranted. Any additional information regarding the use of routes and, in the event that a route has been obstructed or falls in a danger zone, changes in routes will be made public when circumstances warrant their activation.

Emergency Shelters

The City has established neighborhood emergency shelters all around Boston. Prior to leaving your home you should become familiar with the closest facilities to locate the shelter nearest to you. Emergency shelters will be opened by the City if an area must be evacuated for an extended amount of time.
City of Boston Emergency Shelter

Shelter-in-Place

Shelter-in-Place means the best place to be safe is indoors. If authorities advise you to shelter-in-place, you should turn off air-conditioner and fan units, seal the gaps around windows and doors, and listen to the radio for authorities to announce the threat has passed. DO NOT venture out of your shelter area until you are instructed that is it safe to do so.